Set 5 has been a little herky-jerky so far. With a hotfix after the first patch and a novel of balance changes in the second, it’s pretty easy to get a little whiplash and be unsure as to what is strong right now. But don’t worry, just take a look at this TFT patch 11.10 tier list and everything will be just fine.
S Tier: Will Top 4 Almost Always/ Can Win the Lobby
Skirmishers Jax
As foreshadowed by last week’s patch, Skirmishers are running rampant at the moment. Nidalee seems to just refuse to die, Trundle turns into a behemoth in the blink of an eye, and Kennen is flying around the map like a mosquito stunning every unit. With every Skirmisher showing off their new buffs, Jax still stands proud as the true carry.
Skirmishers are flourishing in this meta not only because of the recent buffs, but also because they are an amazing counter to the abundance of frontline this set has to offer. Their ability to drag out fights with sustain and their amazing synergy with the Dragonslayer trait gives them the upper hand against the Knights and Brawlers so often seen in the meta at the moment. This is also why items like Caustic Quicksilver and Bloodthirster are so important for Jax to last. Runaan’s Untamed Hurricane is also amazing for some extra AOE, as the item’s drawback of not applying on-hit effects does not apply to him whatsoever.
At level 9, it’s never a bad idea to toss in a Nautilus or Rell for that Ironclad boost. Trundle is also an underrated unit to give any offensive items that may be left over on the bench.
Redeemed Knights
Riot hopes everyone enjoyed their short time off from Kayle being one of the most oppressive units in Teamfight Tactics, because vacation is over, folks. Featuring an impenetrable frontline and some amazing support units, this comp will ensure that nobody will be touching Kayle while she rains hell from above.
Kayle takes advantage of the combined Ironclad, Mystic and Redeemed synergy bonuses to safely mow down the enemy from the backline, still safe from any assassins with her buffed-up defensive stats and Kindred to bail her out in case things get dicey. Guinsoo’s Rageblade is there to make sure Kayle stacks her ability quickly and starts doing AOE damage as soon as possible. All while using Hextech Gunblade to heal off of it. Adding in Guardian’s Angel is extra life insurance in case Kindred’s ult and all of those stat buffs somehow still aren’t enough to keep her alive.
At level 9, flexing another Mystic or Ironclad can be that extra defensive power needed to scratch out the last couple of wins to secure first place.
A Tier: Likely Top 4/Can win if optimally built
Nightbringer Dragonslayer
Yasuo is once again returning to his Set 4 roots as a reroll powerhouse. This time though, he is donning a somehow even edgier skin and dealing on-hit burn damage that melts tanks and squishy carries alike.
In a truly rebellious fashion, Yasuo rejects the tanky frontline so prevalent in this patch. Opting for pure offensive power, he takes advantage of both his Nightbringer and Legionnaire traits to finish the fight quickly. Rapidfire Cannon and Runaan’s Hurricane are essential for him to wack away from a safe distance, while Jeweled Gauntlet ensures that his burn damage will crit. This isn’t to say that this comp’s frontline is something to sneeze at, though. Trundle and Pantheon offer some great durability, while Morgana will be able to stun half the enemy team guaranteed with her Nightbringer shield. Mordekaiser is also an amazing secondary carry and staller with his massive shield.
At level 9, Lulu is a great option for some extra crowd control and the Mystic buff. Darius is another solid addition to do some extra damage to those tankier traits and is a great holder of any extra items lying around.
Coven Katarina
Katarina has been quietly strong since Set 5’s launch. Now it seems the community has figured out how to best utilize her, as her presence has skyrocketed following consecutive buffs. Her insane mobility and dual-threat one-shot-AOE potential make her one of the deadliest carries in the game.
This comp makes sure Katarina is ulting as much as possible, dashing around the map dealing damage to enemies while simultaneously avoiding attacks. The Coven buff ensures that she’ll be throwing daggers off cooldown, and the Revenants give this comp a nice faux frontline so Morgana doesn’t have to carry the load alone. Blue Buff, Guardian’s Angel and Infinity Edge are generally considered the best items for Katarina, though these items’ shadow counterparts are preferred to increase the Forgotten buff. Unfortunately it’s very difficult to obtain all of the components needed. Fallen Guardian’s Angel should be the top priority for shadow items, as the drawback will not affect Katarina’s damage output.
At level 9, Volibear is a great choice to increase the team’s defensive power by adding both a true frontline unit and getting three Revenant, which will help greatly with stalling out fights and disrupting the enemy team with Volibear and Ivern’s abilities.
B Tier: Can top four/ probably won’t win lobbies without highroll
Cavalier Spellweaver Reroll
This one is definitely the most out-of-left-field comp on this list, but that doesn’t mean it’s not strong. Hecarim’s uncanny ability to never die combined with Brand’s continuous burn damage gives this comp unmatched stalling power.
This comp focuses on three-starring as many units as possible, utilizing lower-level units and staying down near levels 6 and 7 to do so. Hecarim and Brand are top priority, but any other three-stars are encouraged as long as health and econ allows the player to slow roll. Hecarim’s items can be pretty flexible. These items shown are amazing for keeping the pony alive while sucking away the enemy’s health bars, but don’t be afraid to experiment with other tank items or even offensive ones like Morellonomicon and Hextech Gunblade.
Level 9 will be extremely difficult to hit with this comp’s playstyle, but if the player happens to get there, Jax is a great addition for some bonus armor for the entire team.
Revenant Hellions
Hellions have seen a sharp decline in power and popularity over the last couple of weeks as they’ve taken some hits in the patch notes. This iteration of the comp is still strong, but lacks the early game availability and raw power of patch 11.9’s iteration.
This comp transfers the power from early-game to late-game, having Teemo take over the carry role from Ziggs, with Kennen to hold the fort down in the meantime. Kennen is primarily a utility carry, using items like Morellonomicon and Frozen Heart to disable the enemy and make them easier to pick off. Teemo and Heimerdinger then take over in the later stages of the game, providing a huge amount of AP damage. Jeweled Guantlet makes Teemo’s mushrooms hurt while Statikk Stiletto takes advantage of the massive Hellion attack speed buff. Teemo becomes a late-game AOE terror with this build, the only problem is it may take a while to reach this point, and can be extremely difficult to maintain enough health to purchase Teemo.
At level 9, Nocturne is the best option, as the Revenant upgrade will increase the team’s stall power and buy even more time for Teemo to melt the enemy team.
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